Photographic images, travel information, books, art, news, ideas, opinions and observations about all manner of things big and small in Chengdu, Sichuan, China, Asia, Sweden and the world observed from five feet off the ground.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Listening to the sound of rain

Most Chinese would say that the social atmosphere they most enjoy is rènao 热闹, "bustling with noise and excitement, lively". The first character, rè, can also mean "hot", "feverish" and "restless".

Rènao is the kind of atmosphere you find in a Chinese restaurant when the establishment is fully packed: Every table is seated with ten chattering people, each one happily eating and socializing; waitresses and waiters scurry about, the hostess shouting into a walkie-talkie that "table 9 is ready!" and the loud speakers pumping out shrill pop music. Only then can a Chinese feel relaxed, surrounded by food, people and noise, a comforting mayhem that seemingly creates a sensation of much-needed security and inclusiveness.

But if you look closely you might see that actually not every guest is talking; some people are sitting quietly, letting others do the talking. Amidst the tumultuous hubbub of everyday Chinese life there are actually people who seek quiet and solace, seemingly not needing to constantly fill their existence with noise.

Chán fángtīng yǔ 禅房听雨, "meditation/zen", "chamber", "listen", "rain" is an expression that epitomizes the ideal of quiet and solitude. The quiet that is found when listening to the sound of rain drops falling on the roof of a temple when meditating in a separate space. A Zen monk, of course, should be able to find his or her own "inner chamber", even amidst the nosiest, maddening crowd.

2 comments:

Just experienced the same thing recently in a Chinese restaurant in Millbrae, Calif. For eight years I passed The Kitchen, a Chinese restaurant packed every time of the day passing. I decided to stop by with friends one evening, and exactly as you described was our experience. We were the only non-Asians for the hour and a half eating sumptuous plates of, I presume, very original Chinese meals. The chatter was high, yet some tables sat one or two folks. It was difficult placing the orders as they don't get too many English-only patrons. Though my entourage might have felt uncomfortable, I loved the high chatter, constant movement of meals and people, and the animals soon to be eaten staring at us in tanks. Please post more often if you can.

FLICKR

My Photostream

"I recorded this event in order to make it known to persons who are fond of such matters". Song Dynasty official Fan Chengda (1126-1193) wrote this in "Diary of a Boat Trip to Wu" on July 10 in the year 1177 when travelling through Sichuan Province.

Kinesiska symboler

På kinesiskt vis

Resa till Kina

ART COURSES KONSTKURSER CRAFTS PYSSEL

Art/konst, painting/måleri, art courses/konstkurser, crafts/pyssel, Malmfälten, Fridhem: If you are interested in any of these subjects please search for them in the search engine in the upper left-hand corner. Here you will find not only my utterly humble amateur works of art but links to other more accomplished artists and artworks. Please enjoy!